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Old 07-03-2018, 08:56 AM   #1
zuley
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Dodge Ram Tow/ Haul Mode

This past weekend I towed engaging the Tow/ Haul switch on the dash. I've used it a few times previous but other than not allowing the transmission to shift into OD I have never noticed much difference. Truck runs at about 2100 RPM on the flats when engaged vrs 1800 when not. How many people actually use it? Pros/ Cons?? What is the difference in fuel economy people are experiencing with/ without? I'm hauling an Elite 23RB. Truck is a '13 Ram, 5.7 with 3.92 gearing.
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Old 07-03-2018, 09:21 AM   #2
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I always use it, but my truck is a diesel. It makes the exhaust brake much more effective and holds each gear longer when engaged.
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Old 07-03-2018, 09:22 AM   #3
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The purpose of the tow/haul is to lock out the torque convertor. This HELPS to keep the transmission from overheating. Also delays shift points. Talking about the 1/2 ton style transmission here. Big ones are a bit different.
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Old 07-03-2018, 11:30 AM   #4
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Why would you not want to use the tow/haul feature? It will probably save you a transmission. It helps with braking, lets the transmission run cooler, and puts the engine in the center of it's peek performance range.

Remember the days when all we had was a 3 speed with no over drive, 70 mph = about 3000 rpm's (or more) and 10mpg. Someone listened and now we have 6 speeds with 2 over drives and 20mpg. This setup is great for fuel economy but not for towing, so they gave us a tow/haul button to set the truck up for towing.
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Old 07-03-2018, 11:44 AM   #5
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I use mine every time I tow. Makes a big difference. It changes shift points allowing the truck to stay in the torque band, it holds gears longer to eliminate constant hunting back and forth for a gear when you have a load....IMO don't tow without out it. I did once, only once, many years ago and promptly lost the transmission when I returned home. Dealer said it was because I towed a large, dual axle U haul fully loaded across TX and back..... Haven't made that mistake again....and haven't lost another transmission.
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Old 07-03-2018, 12:04 PM   #6
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I think I made a bigger mistake than you Danny. Had a 2005 Explorer back then. Thought I would pull our little 14' TT (3000# loaded) over the mountains here in BC. Was going good across the flats so I put the cruise on and of course forgot to use tow/haul mode. Started up a mountain and before I could touch the brake the engine redlined. Now this SUV had the new at the time 24 valve 4.6 engine. So about $10K later learned an expensive lesson. Friends said how can someone as mechanical as me do something so stupid. It happens.

Always use the tow/haul when towing anything.
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Old 07-03-2018, 01:02 PM   #7
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Tow/Haul mode delays shift points by allowing higher revving between gears and then your tranny isn't switching back and forth to find enough power (my old 1999 Dodge RAM 5.9 liter drove me crazy with that). In my truck that mode also responds to the amount of braking power when going downhill. I came down some steep grades recently and it held right at 55 mph without touching the brakes. In the old Dodge I put the automatic tranny in "2" and feathered the brakes all the time or it would just run away. I'm loving that Tow/Haul feature!
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Old 07-13-2018, 03:24 PM   #8
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I drive in tow/haul weather I am towing or not.
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Old 07-13-2018, 04:03 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 66joej View Post
The purpose of the tow/haul is to lock out the torque convertor. This HELPS to keep the transmission from overheating. Also delays shift points. Talking about the 1/2 ton style transmission here. Big ones are a bit different.
That's bad information, when a transmission torque converter is "locked up" there is essentially a mechanical coupling between the engine/transmission, no "slip" in the torque converter with very little heat being generated. When the torque converter is in "converter mode" it is essentially a fluid coupling that generates heat.

Tow/haul mode is essentially a second shift pattern, usually they will hold the shifts longer and downshift earlier than they would in normal mode.
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Old 07-13-2018, 05:00 PM   #10
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I find the towing mode a bit "herky jerky" when pulling in the small towns that dot the two lane roads we like to travel. That said I love the way in works with the jake brake holding us back on the downhill grades and extended shift points when going up any kind of grade. Easy enough to engage and disengage. My 2cents is use it!
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Old 07-13-2018, 05:17 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bob91yj View Post
That's bad information, when a transmission torque converter is "locked up" there is essentially a mechanical coupling between the engine/transmission, no "slip" in the torque converter with very little heat being generated. When the torque converter is in "converter mode" it is essentially a fluid coupling that generates heat.

Tow/haul mode is essentially a second shift pattern, usually they will hold the shifts longer and downshift earlier than they would in normal mode.
Sorry you are right. I should have said helps to lock up not lock out. Poor choice of words.
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Old 07-13-2018, 05:23 PM   #12
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Quote:
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I find the towing mode a bit "herky jerky" when pulling in the small towns that dot the two lane roads we like to travel. That said I love the way in works with the jake brake holding us back on the downhill grades and extended shift points when going up any kind of grade. Easy enough to engage and disengage. My 2cents is use it!

It's not a Jake brake. It's an exhaust brake controlled by varying the turbo output. A Jake brake works completely different.
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Old 07-13-2018, 06:22 PM   #13
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It's not a Jake brake. It's an exhaust brake controlled by varying the turbo output. A Jake brake works completely different.
Thanks for the correction. My first diesel.. I didn't know there was a difference. I'll look it up and get myself educated I still like it a lt though
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Old 07-13-2018, 06:24 PM   #14
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Different trucks but, this is from a few years ago. I pulled a work boat around weekly to ramps as far away as 60 miles. I read the manual included with that and every vehicle I own or was assigned. It said when towing use the tow/haul mode. My boss took same boat to training, same type of Chev 1500. After the trip, the following week his tranny needed repair mine never did. I asked about the tow/haul mode, he never used it. Tranny paid for by tax payers. Due to stupid behavior.
I will not believe that the manual says to pull a TT or RV while not in tow/haul mode. I could be wrong but, why would the truck have a tow/haul mode and expect the driver not to use it when towing.
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:13 AM   #15
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Although we tow with an Ecoboost, when the 5er is hooked up, as soon as the truck is started it goes into tow/haul mode.
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Old 07-14-2018, 06:53 AM   #16
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Always use it when towing'
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Old 07-14-2018, 07:18 AM   #17
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Mine is an older truck. I use TH extensively when pulling long grades. If not the engine lugs down to below 1500RPMs an the EGTs climb to >1400*. I disengage it downhill and in the flats.

The OD shift patterns are wonky on my truck. I plan to change the solenoid next time I'm in there.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:09 AM   #18
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The simple answer is, if towing use tow/haul, your transmission will appreciate it.
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Old 07-14-2018, 04:26 PM   #19
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The simple answer is, if towing use tow/haul, your transmission will appreciate it.
It is hard not to disengage TH when you're at 2k RPMs and 50MPH going down a long slope. I get a run at the next hill, then reengage when the EGTs start climbing.
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Old 07-19-2018, 08:15 AM   #20
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I'm running a Ram 3500 6.4L Hemi, pulling a 24' Bullet. I made the same trip thru the western part of Arkansas in both modes as a comparison base, and I ran it both with and without the tow/haul mode activated. When doing so, I've pulled up the truck sensor summary page on the instrument display, showing water temp, oil temp, tranny temp and oil pressure. All the readings were the same, regardless if the T/H mode was activated or not. There were times i restricted the tranny gears to 4th or 5th, but the T/H mode didn't make a difference to the temps/pressure. Naturally, when activated, i'd have the different shift pattern and the higher engine revs. But that's it - basically, the truck didn't care that the camper was behind it. Oh, and no real appreciable difference in MPG. both runs were around 11 mpg.
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